1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to door seals and, more particularly, to door seals especially effective in preventing the passage of smoke into a room upon the occurrence of a fire.
2. Description of the Prior Art
High rise structures such as apartment buildings and hotels pose considerable dangers in the event of a fire. People occupying rooms in the upper floors of such structures are particularly exposed to danger because of the difficulty in bringing rescue equipment to the scene and in effectively utilizing the rescue equipment in the upper portions of the buildings. Despite the difficulties associated with carrying out rescue operations, the occupants of burning buildings usually can be rescued if enough time is made available to the rescuers. Unfortunately, the hazards of a fire are such that it is difficult to obtain enough time to carry out a rescue operation. In large measure this is because it is not fire itself which causes most of the fatalities, but rather smoke and fumes generated by burning materials which eventually leads to asphyxiation or poisoning of the inhabitants of the buildings. The smoke spreads more rapidly through the building than the fire itself on many occasions. The rapid spread of smoke is caused in part by natural drafts that circulate in a building due to temperature differentials and "chimney effects," and in part due to the existence of air conditioning systems. The problem is made worse in certain buildings by the presence of plastics materials that produce extremely toxic fumes.
It is common practice in high rise structures, particularly public facilities such as hotels, for smoke detectors to be installed in the rooms and common areas such as hallways. Unfortunately, although smoke detectors will provide a warning that a fire is in progress, the knowledge that a fire is in progress may not be sufficient to enable the inhabitants to avoid the toxic effects of the smoke until they can be rescued. Such techniques as creating an emergency seal by forcing sheets or towels around a door frame are not particularly effective and often cannot be carried into practice by certain individuals, especially in the face of an actual emergency. The existence of an effective seal about the periphery of the door could delay the entrance of toxic smoke and fumes into the room long enough for effective rescue operations to be carried out.